The face of Visionary Women has changed today.  I could no longer ignore the Divine guidance within me to make the changes to create the statement and movement that has been showing itself to me for some time now.  Visionary Women is now it's own entity, a community where we show women the power of network marketing and how it is going to assist us western women in fulfilling the Dalai Lama's prophecy of "the world will be saved by the western woman." 
Stay tuned for the upcoming webinars where we will be showing you the details about what we are doing.

I watched a video on Facebook recently about women.  The video showed a large mirror set up in the middle of a busy mall.  People were moving in and out of stores in the background while the mirror stood still in the middle of an open area.  The mirror had messages which looked like computer generated hand written saying things like "you are enough".  The video showed women passing by and catching a glimpse of themselves and the quotes in the mirror.  Then the mirror spoke asking the women questions about how they felt about their appearance.  With no surprise many felt ashamed or strongly disliked their appearance.  As the video moved forward certain women were shown videos from their loved ones through the mirror and those loved ones had messages of appreciation and love for the particular woman standing in the mirror.  Several women were moved to tears as they received the loving messages.  I reflect on my own discoveries of these feelings in myself.
Then later on that day, my daughter and I were 'working out' in our basement and this witty and observant 5 year old girl says to me "I'm not strong enough."  Bam.  That hit me like lightning.  I had to stop what we were doing to have a discussion about being enough - being strong enough, and being good enough.  She told me that she wasn't strong enough to lift certain things that she sees us as adults lifting.  I could see she felt somewhat disheartened and my determination to build a strong minded girl kicked into gear.  The conversation led to some affirmations about strength not only of body but of mind and soul.  
These stories have led me to discuss an interesting epidemic expanding throughout women, I am certain, in all countries of the world.  I experience it myself as I did today, feeling like I wasn't enough to keep up with the demands of 2 young children.
I began to question 'where do these thoughts come from?  Where do they start?'
Are we naturally prone to thinking this way or is it something deeper?  I always go to the deeper side of things - the surface doesn't always provide the answers for me.  As a collective consciousness is this how we become assimilated into our societies by absorbing the mentality of those closest to us?  Or do we simply inherit this mentality from our parents?  No pointing of fingers here, just simple observations and the keen interest in discovering why this is what it is.  In uncovering all of this in my feminine experience in this lifetime, I acknowledge the fact that men too probably experience these same feelings.  What I find most empowering is that I have the opportunity to become aware of these thoughts and then simply let them go while replacing them with thoughts that make me feel good and powerful.  The difficulty so far is in the frustration I experience as I move through becoming aware of the many thoughts running through my mind on an exhausting basis.  I continue to have thoughts that it would be just so much easier to walk through life unconscious then I quickly give my head a shake and understand that I could never go back to living an unconscious life.  Why is that?  Life is so much richer living in the conscious side of life yet can be so frustrating when faced with the dark side of my old thought processes.  Then I think others must be feeling the same way.  The conscious women of the world must be sitting in their own homes having similar experiences as myself and feeling somewhat isolated in their pursuit of living a conscious and fulfilling life.
Where is this leading?  What I do know is this community of women are conscious women, who in their awakened state, know there is more to life then what we have been taught by those we care about or by those who's duty was to teach us.  As we come closer together in this community, I know the momentum of power will inevitably begin changing the world in exponential ways.

Working mothers are commonly found in our society.  Women want to feel valued and most likely they do not receive that feeling from being at home so working a job at least provides some recognition with the giving of a pay check.  It seems our values have become compromised or at least gotten out of order.  Family life, friends, and health have been placed on a lower priority to career and mundane tasks.  Where is the balance in this kind of living?  Lately women have been discussing balance and trying to achieve it or maintain it when we have been programmed to be working, working, working?  It literally leaves so very little time for family, friends, health, and living a present life.  Working life can suck the presence out of living a fulfilling life.  In that I mean, working so much and focusing on getting the bills paid just doesn't feel like what we are meant to be doing.  With the creation of the Universe and of man - I don't feel the intention was to make us drones to go to work for someone else, pay bills for a home we are not in much and to leave our dreams as such……dreams and never bring them to life.
Women are becoming 'awake' and seeing what is really happening around them, myself included.  Life is meant to be lived in the present moment and focused on being a witness to the lives of those we care about.  How can we witness their lives if we are busy working somewhere else with people we may not necessarily like to be around, or performing tasks we don't really like to do?  How does this make sense?  Our priorities are backwards.
Now is the time to turn things around and get our focus right.  We CAN have a balanced life one that is focused mainly on people, health, friends, and life.  And where the career can still exist and where the income can still exist - it is just not the main priority.  We can all agree that having a constant flow of money into our lives is essential for living in today's world.  It can be done through the profession of network marketing.  So many women have turned to this profession already yet it still has yet to be completely accepted by society as a serious business opportunity.  One that can create a life that is mainly dreamed about by most and thought of as out of reach.  
For myself this profession has allowed my dreams to become reality and one of my biggest dreams is to live a simple life ,not a busy life - to be a witness to the lives of my children, to be more present, to love more, to live more, to dream bigger and to achieve more by doing less.  I italicized the word 'doing' because I am not as busy as I used to be.  I have fewer commitments, fewer things that need my attention and this allows me to truly enjoy my life in the moment and to do more of the things I really enjoy and that bring me pleasure.  So in essence I am able to release the need to 'do more' and welcome in the ease and allow more abundance into my life at the same time.  
In closing, residual income is a serious opportunity for women to truly create the balanced life that seems so out of reach and to feel completely valued.  The time is now to create a dream life where the focus is on people, pleasure, living, and loving.
Much love
Kirsten

You can never truly understand a person until you walk a mile in their shoes.  This old saying rings true as I move into my role as a stay at home mother.  I thought I was busy as a working mother, now I know it is even busier and more challenging to my mental and emotional health than working in any workplace.  Going into this role I knew it was going to be a challenge for me and I was up for it.  Being a mother of two children can bring about feelings of not being enough.  So I bow my head in honour of women who have more than two children and all mothers for that matter.  It is a demanding role with so much to teach if we are willing and open to learn it.  And we have so much to teach others about what the role of a stay at home mother could be.  

The role is slowly evolving from what previous generations knew it to be and even what the current generation of young mothers believes it to be.  I now understand whole heartedly why so many women choose to work rather than be home with their children.  I respect that.  It's not easy.  

My intention with this post is to educate about what being a stay at home mother can be and what it has evolved into in our community of Visionary Women.  It doesn't have to be any of the above photos.  It doesn't have to be overwhelming, unrealistic, or lonely.  It can be simple, enjoyable, rewarding, and allow you to be your best in any situation and be completely present with your children rather than worrying about what else you have to get done.  Imagine the role as a leader of your family (yes the head of the household, we all know that women run the family for real) rather than maid, servant, and cook.  All fine and well if you truly enjoy those activities (I do as they bring about a sense of accomplishment and pride) but they can also bring about feelings of overwhelm with children pulling at you wanting this or that while you are simply attempting to get something done.  I challenge you to ponder what would give your life more ease - a sexy word.  Would it be sourcing a maid service to clean your house as often as you like, paying someone else to shovel your driveway, or pay your bills, or complete your gardening, cook your meals or provide healthy quick meals when on the go (truly isn't that our life now?  Always on the go?), or simply someone to do your laundry.  What would allow you to exhale deeply and be completely present in your life?  

Our society seems to praise being busy and on the go, running on fumes or caffeine to end our day falling into bed exhausted and maybe not really remembering what we did that day.  I encourage you to think about the end of your life - not something most like to think about - on your last day living in this body, in this life, would you regret not having more things accomplished?  Or would you regret not spending the quality time with loved ones, mostly your children as much as you could have?  Would you regret not being completely present for your amazing journey in this life and the life of your children?   Or would you regret not truly doing what your heart desires.

What would your dream life look like?  Would you be living in your dream home with your family around you?  Would you be doing the mission work you have always wanted to get into?  Or would you be going back to school to learn what your heart desires?  We can show you how you can make that dream life happen.  What if we could show you a way that would allow you to live in ease, accomplish more by doing less, and working less and living more?  A concept we have been programmed to believe is untrue or simply a dream.  I am here to tell you it is true and it is possible for you. 

I wish to leave you with this final thought and this quote so eloquently presented by the Dalai Lama.  What makes your heart soften, what makes it beat, what makes it yearn?  I encourage you to pursue that.  Visionary Women can help you discover the path to making those dreams come true.

I love this woman.  You know her as Oprah Winfrey.  I know her as the woman I aspire to be, the woman I have the most to learn from, and the woman who can teach me about my own life.  Oprah is the person I admire with my entire being.  I have watched her grow through the years to create a life that is magnificent.  As part of the work I do on myself, I have a project to complete which entails learning about the person I most aspire to be like - enter Oprah.  As part of this project, I have picked up her recent book What I Know For Sure and begun reading the introduction.  I would like to share with you the excerpt that struck a chord for me and firmed this mission I am embarking on.

What I know for sure is that every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and step out and dance - to live free of regret and filled with as much joy, fun, and laughter as you can stand.  You can either waltz boldly onto the stage of life and live the way you know your spirit is nudging you to, or you can sit quietly by the wall, receding into the shadows of fear and self doubt.  


You have a choice this very moment - the only moment you have for certain.  I hope you aren't so wrapped up in nonessential stuff that you forget to really enjoy yourself - because this moment is about to be over.  I hope you'll look back and remember today as the day you decided to make every one count, to relish each hour as if there would never be another.  And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.

I admit to living in fear for too long - mostly fear of not fitting in.  But now is the time for me to be honest with myself - I don't fit in anywhere.  I simply have made the decision to live my life as my spirit nudges me rather than waiting for my spirit to begin yelling at me at the top of it's lungs in order to have me pay attention.  I do a lot of things that don't make sense to others and I am okay with that.  Liberated, I am walking this path of helping other women to do just the same.  But what about the crazy essential things we need to have in order to live in this modern world?  For example, money is up there with oxygen, unfortunately, as essential to living a full life.  I, at one time, fell into the belief that I had to conform into a good job and live the rest of my life working for someone else spending the majority of my waking life being in a workplace that held me back, and maybe kept me around some people that I would not choose to be around should I not be at that place.  I resigned myself simply because I didn't see any other way but my spirit knew better.  My spirit still had that glimmer of hope that something would save me.  
She was right.  Something did save me and I have a dear friend to thank for that gift.  She was the one that provided the saving grace that has allowed me to dream again like I was a little girl.  Each time I set the intention for something to become reality - it comes true.  Magic really does exist we just need belief.  Belief in ourselves and our abilities to manifest the life of our dreams.

Our western world has somehow trampled the dream out of all of us, especially women.  I feel it is our responsibility to stand tall and be indifferent to the opinion of others.  To walk our walk, talk our talk, and live according to our own Divine plan.   You may ask the question right now, how do we create this life while living in a world dominated by money?  Well my friend, I close with this information - we embrace the dreamer within you and help you manifest those dreams.  Imagine living in a community that lifts you up, helps you on your journey to abundant living while helping you to bring the bread and butter to the table?  It is possible to let go of survival mode and thinking about needing food, shelter, water, clothing, etc and begin living into higher states of consciousness where the dreams live and where your true self is waiting to be set free. 

Just as the title suggests so many mothers in the western world are feeling this way - overwhelmed.  These woman are also feeling inadequate, lack joy, and are truly dissatisfied with their lives.  Why is this happening to women all over the world?
Let's take a look at some of the factors that could be influencing these feelings.
1. Choices
Women have so many choices these days from an abundance of clothing to choose from to top corporate jobs.  Just a century ago, these choices simply were not available to women.  Many corporate companies market to women providing an endless array of places to spend…again more choice.
2. Unrealistic expectations of how a woman should look after having a baby.
Our society hides what a woman's body goes through after birthing another life.  It ends up being a surprise to many women that our bodies are just not the same and never will be after pregnancy.  We silently compete with ourselves or each other to reach an unrealistic body image that just isn't fair to anyone.  We also find it necessary to hide our new post baby bodies in public - how many mothers have  you seen wearing a bikini at the beach?  Not many.  Baby bodies can be embraced especially if we as mothers begin to change the way society looks at the post baby midsection.  
3. Working outside of the home for income
70% of women with children age 18 and under participate in the U.S. labor force. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

All mothers will admit the amount of work that goes into raising one of these cute little people.  We all have the same 24 hours given to us in a day and if 70% of women are working outside of the home say 8 hours per day and hopefully they are getting 8 hours of sleep per night, that leaves just 8 hours per day for other important events such as, exercise, commuting, relaxing, time with children, cooking and preparing meals, date time with partners, visiting friends or family, appointments, personal goal setting and achievement, children activities, and hobbies.  It is no wonder that many of these events listed get put aside or ignored when children come into the picture.
4. Keeping up with the expectation that women complete housework
This can be an enormous task in itself let alone putting kids into the mix.  Most families cannot afford to pay someone else to do the weekly cleaning and adding this into the daily tasks can add to the mental chatter of not being able to keep up with the demands of family life leading to a sense of overwhelm.
5. "Mom what's for dinner?"
This question is self explanatory - factoring in meal planning just seems like putting us over the edge.  Mothers tend to forget to eat themselves as they try to keep up with the other demands that by the time evening comes, dinner hasn't even been given a second thought.
6. The expectation to stay young looking.
Just another pressure on women to stay young looking and beautiful.  Question is 'who is putting this pressure on?  Where does it come from?' 
If you are reading this and feeling these points are happening in your life, I ask you this:
What if you didn't have to go to that job for 40 hours per week?  What if you could learn what your priorities are so you could narrow your focus decreasing the feelings of overwhelm because of too many choices?  What if you could learn to love your body the way it is while making it better, stronger, and healthier than it's ever been?  What if you could work less and live more?  What if you could pay someone to complete your household chores and/or meal planning?  What if you could look and feel your best while being a busy mother?  What if you could finally have time for YOUR passions in life and feel valued?  All this is possible for you.  Yes, you.  Becoming a mother doesn't have to mean you have to put off pursuing your passion or your dharma.  It is all possible.

I have found that we are the sum of the 5 people we spend the most time with.  It seems like simple osmosis that were are assimilated into the culture of those 5 people.  Sometimes I have felt like I was treading water, trying to keep my head above the rough sea water (trying to keep my head above the murky waters of a culture I simply do not belong to nor do I wish to be assimilated by).  I am at the point in my life where I recognize that I can choose who gets the central roles in my life and that I have control over my life in general.  Each time I choose the Divine energy within me, I choose life, I choose success, I choose living rather than surviving even when it looks on the outside like I am making choices that take me away, temporarily from my goals.
I know my message to the world is clear - women and children belong together, not apart.
I realize that this message may not resonate with all women.  Some women choose to continue on with a demanding career in the corporate world or service world because they love it.  I respect that choice and I am not seeking these women.  I am looking for those women whose heart aches at the thought of leaving their child in the care of someone else simply because they want to be the person who gets to witness their child's life.   
My message to you on this day - listen to your heart.  Follow what your heart aches for you to do especially if it makes absolutely no sense to you or to those who care about you. 
Women and children belong together, not apart.  Here in this community, we are creating empowered mothers.  Mothers who choose to raise their children themselves and create a powerful stream of residual revenue to support their families.  Imagine being able to support your family by working in the pockets of your time around your family?  Imagine having a rewarding career that allows you to put yourself and your family first?  Powerful stuff.  
This is what we are doing along with so many other incredible women in our community.  It is time to change the course of history.  It is time to bring family values back into our culture and it starts with keeping women and children together.  The time is NOW.